Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Ultimate Villain) - ROTS - 12 Inch Figures

When Anakin falls to the dark side of the Force, he leaves everyone and everything behind, even his name and identity. Betraying the Jedi and those closest to him, Anakin changes into the most terrifying incarnation of evil the galaxy has ever seen. Re-create this epic moment of darkness by encasing Anakin in the ominous black armor of Darth Vader!

If you’ve collected the Hasbro 12 Inch Figures line with any regularity, you’re well aware that the line has come very far, yet it still faces quite a few challenges that Hasbro doesn’t seem too interested in tackling. There’s a good reason for that. The Revenge Of The Sith 12 Inch Figures line will be the last for the Hasbro brand. They’ve leased the license out to Sideshow Collectibles, and they’ll be handling that scale from here on out. With so many 12 Inch Figures that appeared on product lists but never made it to production, the line feels incomplete. Thankfully, Hasbro put together a nice collection of characters for the Revenge Of The Sith line, two of which don’t appear in the final cut of the film. One is a “Concept Art” character, and the remaining four products (both mainstream and exclusive releases) are directly sourced from Episode III. Their most aggressive 12 Inch Figures offering for 2005 is the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Ultimate Villain) set. At face value, it looks like a remarkable set. There are many positive aspects to it. But Hasbro pulled the wool over our eyes with its release. You do get all the gear required to dress both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, but there is only one buck inside. So, you have to choose one character or the other. You can’t have both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader completed in your collection at the same time unless you purchase two sets. The details of the costuming are wonderful. Darth Vader comes with the ribbed body glove and interchangeable hands, along with inner robes and a luxurious cape. Anakin Skywalker comes with an interchangeable hand that hides the cybernetics underneath the battle-damaged right hand.

You get a ton of parts and accessories with this set, and these additions are what saves the MSRP from feeling like a total rip-off. And this would be a great time to let you know that the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Ultimate Villain) set is a tad infuriating because Hasbro set the MSRP at $49.99. If this was the plan all along, why didn’t they produce two 12 Inch Figures, one of Anakin Skywalker, and one of Darth Vader and add them to the basic 12 Inch Figures assortment, or reserve them for a retailer exclusive (as separate releases)? If they added to full bucks along with the interchangeable gear, then this set is worth $49.99. But one figure and two outfits don’t constitute this high MSRP. However, if you’re able to let go of this maddening decision, the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Ultimate Villain) set is a whole lot of fun. It contains admirable (and quite imperfect) 12 Inch Figure interpretations of both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. And they offer a change of pace to the standard single-figure releases in the 12 Inch Figures line. The figure comes arranged and displayed as Anakin Skywalker, and then all of the gear to make the figure turn into Darth Vader is situated around the figure. Anakin Skywalker has an “alright” likeness, but we believe that Hasbro could have done a little more to make the final portrait better. Both the right eye and left cheek have scars left by Asajj Ventress. It’s nice that this continuity from the Clone Wars micro-series is carried forward into Revenge Of The Sith. The buck for Anakin Skywalker is leaner this time around, so the outfit clings more closely to the body, and the figure isn’t as bulky. The figure also offers a good range of movement.

Converting Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader is half of the fun in this set if you want our honest opinion. Some of the costume parts are arduous to add to the figure, but patience and perseverance will get it done. If you’re familiar with 1998’s POTF2 [FF/TKC] Darth Vader (Electronic) figure, you should know what to expect here somewhat. The helmet is in three pieces. The head sculpt attaches via a post in the neck area, and that post sits in a ball-socket joint. You get a decent range of movement, but Darth Vader’s helmet collar obstructs the full range of movement. The helmet snaps together and stays in place, but the post that secures the head isn’t a tight enough fit, and you’ll find that it is relatively easy to knock off Darth Vader’s head when not intended. Also, due to the normal-sized shape of the head sculpt, the helmet is too large (as it was in 1998 as well). When fully assembled, Darth Vader looks like Dark Helmet, sometimes depending on how you position the figure. The helmet indeed comes off too large. But overall, we’re pleased with the figure as Darth Vader. We keep in mind that this is a toy and not a high-end collectible, and for what it is, it’s a quality and good-looking 12 Inch Figure. Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader each come with their respective lightsabers, blue and red. And unfortunately, Darth Vader’s hilt comes with a peg where Anakin’s does not, so you cannot hang Anakin’s hilt to the belt. Also unfortunate, Darth Vader’s hilt is larger and looks out of place if you decide to use it with Anakin. Aside from the price, the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Ultimate Villain) is a fun set. It’s expensive but offers a way for kids and collectors to rebuild Darth Vader.